A Day in Black and White: Notes

It would almost be too easy to compare Notes to Fugazi’s 13 Songs, except for the fact that its not nearly as good. The album starts off with a cool little noisy bit called “Tinnitus” before diving headfirst into “post hardcore.” I am not even sure if I know what that means except for it usually sounds a lot like Fugazi.

Lots of loud-soft-loud dynamics, dudes yelling about the unfairness of knowledge or some other bullshit, and those weird upside-down power chords that all of these bands overuse.

I actually like this album, but wish it was a little less derivative, and that A Day in Black and White would lay off the pretension. This is lifted right off their website: “Challenging oversimplified notions of identity, the band’s sound and membership underwent a number of changes from its creation in 2001 until settling into a successful amalgamation of members, instruments, and ideas.”

That quote has nothing to do with the music, but with so many other bands out there that sound like this one, shit like that makes me want to hate them for an overabundance of pretension combined with a lack of originality. You will like this if you are into all things Dischord.

– Bill Barry
A Day in Black and White (Level Plane)